Device for regulating humidity of containers



Apl 2l, 1925.

H. A. WEIHMANN DEVICE Fon REGULATING HUMIDITY oF CONTAINERS Filed aan. 25, 192s Patented Apr. 21, 1925i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

HENRY A. VEII-IMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BUNTE BROTHERS, OF

` CHIQAGO, ILLINO'IS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR REGULATING HUMIDITY OF CONTAINERS.

Application led January 25, 1923. Serial No. 614,795.

To ai? whom it' may concern: A

Be it known that l, Hanni? A. Winti-I- MANN., a citizen oi. the Unite-d States, resid* .ing` at Chicago, in the county ot' Coeli and State ot lllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices 'tor Regulating Humidity o'l Containers, ot which the 'following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices lor reguA lating the hun'iidity ot' containers such as candy jars, hiimidors and the like. In the case ot' humidors, the regulating` device imparts moisture and in the case o'l candy jars, it absorbs moisture, but in any event, the principle is the same. My device is .intended to eooperatcwith glass Stoppers which are internally chau'ibcredj thus providing an annular shoulder from which a holder or receptacle may be supported. VTo 'facilitate explanation, let it be assumed that the device will be used in candy jars and hence will contain a moisture-absorbing substance.

lli/ly device is provided with a holder and a plurality ot arms which may be expanded or collapsed to engage and disengage the internal shoulder et' the chambered stopper;

My object is to provide inexpensive and easily operated means tor controlling' the position oit the arms trom which the holder is suspended. According` to my invention, the arms collapse automatically when the looking device is released. Furthermore, the arms are controlled partially by the contents ot the holder, the result being that if the holder is empty, the arms will not engage the stopper and the holder cannot be suspended. The holder contents, therefore, constitute a tell-tale, hy which the operator may be assured that it the suspending arms `ii'unction properly, the holder is dulv iilled.

I obtain my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an assembly view showing the holder in position in a stopper in a jar. The parts are shown chiefly in vertical central section.

Figure 2 is a plan view oit the line QMQ, Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of my device, showing the same about to be insorted into or withdrawn trom the stopper.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the arms, by which the holder is si'ispendcd.

Lilie numerals denote like parts throughout the several views. i

In the :torni selected to illustrate the invention, the jar l has a neck 2, into which the stopper 3 tits. This stopper is ot wellknown form, having an approximately cylindrical lower flange l and an internal annular shoulder 5 beneath a chamber G formed within the stopper. ln other words, the stopper is chainbered and has a constrictcd throat forming an internal annular shoulder from which the holder may be suspended. Y i

The holder 8 is in the `form of a disk-like receptacle having a toraminated bottom and provided with a loose cover 10. The holder is adapted to contain a substance l2, which in the case of a candy jar may be calcium chloride, or a pad in which calcium chloride forms the active ingredient. These pads are known commercially and may consist of fibrous material impregnated with the chemical. These pads may be in the form of briquettes which may be handled as a unit and are tough enough to stand considerable abrasion without much damage.

The cover l0 is in the torni ot a sheet meta-l disk having two parallel slots la located at some distance from the center. These slots accommodate rigid arms 16 shown in perspective in Figure Zl. rlhe upstanding portion of the arm is curved upward and outward, and at the base is a :toot 17 'which extends radially inward and underlies the cover as illustrated. il. small tongue 18 is struck out oil the upright por tion 16 of the arm, to iorm al linger which will support the arms when in collapsed position, as shown in Figure 3. The arms are controlled manually by means ot a screw stud 20 which works in a nut Q2 at the upper end, and at the lower end has a knurled head 24 by which the stud may be rotated. The nut is rigidly secured to the cover l0 to prevent it from rotating when the stud is rotated. Said stud passes up through the holder and both the holder and the absorbent pad l2 have apertures of suiiicient size to permit the stud to slide freely, as well as rotate.

In operation, let it be assumed that the holder had been lled with the absorbent pad, as illustrated in Figure 3. LetI it also lie usauueil that the stud luis pueeetl up tlueugli tlie pzulzuullielllei, :uultluit they n l :u'e resting upon the luiurletl lieall ei' the stud as shown in Figure 3. The operator next assembles the arms lo in the coverI l0 and screws the stud a slight distance into the nut. The nut will thus be held at the upper end oit the stud and the arms will be overbalanced; that is, the weight of the tee-t 1T will swing the upper end of the arms inward, the said feet resting upon the 'top oi' the pad as illustrated in Figure $3. The arms are now collapsed, whereupon the entire device may be passed up into the stopper, the pad holder striking the lower portion of the throat ot the stopper and being,y arrested by it. The operator now rotates the stud 2O by turning its head 2a, thus causing,` the nut 22 and cover l0 to be drawn downward. This downward movement causes the arms to be swung` outward and to engage the shoulder 5, as illustrated in Figure l. It will be evident that if the holder is empty, there will be nothing` to press upward on the feet 17 and consequently nothing to rotate the arms outward. rlherefore, unless the holder is lilled, the arms will not properly function and will fail to engage the stopper. Consequently, the operator will be advised that the holder is not illech This will prevent a careless operator from inserting` an empty holder.

From the above description and reference to the drawings, it will be evident that the arms by which the holder is suspended, are controlled in part manually and in part by the contents of the holder. lt will also be evident that the range of angular movement ot the arms is considerable, thus compensating for any ordinary degree of variation in the size of ditferent Stoppers. It will also be evident that when the stud 2O is backed ott, the arms collapse automatically; consequently no special manipulation is necessary to enable the arms to be inserted into the stopper. On the contrary the arms tend to assume the collapsed position as soon as tlie stud is liaelied ell und lieuee there ui ue ueetl te tuiu the stepper :uil lielileiI upuulu l tlewu :ler the purpose el: assembly.

Havingr thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure. by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to receive moishire-regulating substance, a loose cover tor the holder, arms pivotally mounted in. the cover and having` feet which under-lie the cover and are adapted to be supported upon the contents ot the holder, and means for controllinp the position of the cover vertically with referente to the holder.

2. ln a device of the class described, the combination o a holder adapted to receive moietnie-regulating substance, a loose cover lor the holder, arms pivotally mounted in the cover and having' i'eet which underlie it, and are adapted to be supported upon the contents of the holder for expanding the upper ends oit the arms, a nut `fastened to the cover, and a rotatable threaded stud freely movable vertically with respect to the holder and its contents for controlling;` the height of the cover above the holder, said stud having` at its lower end a head upon which the holder may rest.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a briouette of moisture-regulating,` material, a holder for housinp` it, a loose cover for the holder, arms pivotallv mounted upon the cover and having upstanding portions adapted when expanded to enter the chambered portion o't a cham bered stopper, said arms having` 'eet underlying the cover and overlying the briquette whereby when the cover is close to the top of the briquette, the arms will be expanded, and manually operated means tor controllingthe distance of the cover from the top of the briquette.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto suhscribed my name.

HENRY A. Wlll liti A V\ N. 

